


Krityan Tradition

by theguineapig3



Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-14
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:46:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25252576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theguineapig3/pseuds/theguineapig3
Summary: When Judith realized that Raven knew nothing about Kritya, she decided to have a bit of fun at his expense. But she soon learned that, when you underestimate your playthings, you may find yourself being the one played.
Relationships: Judith/Raven (Tales of Vesperia)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	Krityan Tradition

**Author's Note:**

> I've been thinking about this fic for a long time, and 2020's Judith Appreciation Weekend gave me the perfect excuse to write about Judith playing with her favorite old man. It's a little late, but better that than never, right? I hope you enjoy!

“Judith, will you go on a date with me?”

The question was one that Raven had danced around for a long time, with his incessant compliments and expressions of interest, but one he hadn’t actually  _ asked _ until now. The group had been traveling together on the Fiertia, and Raven had been performing his usual schtick. Rita, who’d been trying to read, grew more and more frustrated until she finally scolded him with a snapped ‘ _ just ask her out already and be done with it! _ ’ Estelle had scolded Rita, but Karol expressed agreement that he also wanted to see Raven ask for a date. Judith assumed that they were expecting her to decline, but she had something else in mind. Because of that, it didn't take long for her to answer.

“I'd love to.”

Raven- along with Rita and Karol- genuinely didn't seem to have expected that response. Their eyes widened, and Raven took a step forward. “R-really-?”

“ _ However, _ ” Judith interrupted, “I’m afraid it isn't that simple. Krityan tradition states that an interested party must receive permission from the  _ family  _ of their intended date as well. Given my circumstances, Ba’ul is the closest thing I have to family. So you'll have to ask him for permission to date me.”

There was a pause, and Raven glanced at Ba’ul above them. He seemed to shrink back just looking at the Entelexia’s size, and began to fidget with his hands. 

“Um… Ba’ul… er, Mister Ba’ul… that is to say, I… uh… was wondering if… er, I'm deeply attracted to- no, that's not right-  _ inspired by _ … your friend… daughter… sister… whatever Judith is to you… I just… I mean, she’s  _ great _ … I think she’s great… and I…”

As Raven struggled, much to Rita and Karol’s amusement, Yuri approached Judith and tapped her on the shoulder. 

“Is this a real Krityan tradition?” he whispered. “The Kritya never struck me as the type to have such strict policies about relationships.”

Judith shook her head and whispered back. “No, you're right. I made it up. I was just curious to see if he’d do it.”

“That's kinda cruel.”

“...so I wanted to know…” Raven was still stammering out his question. “...to know if you'd give me your permission… your blessing… to go on a date with Judith?”

There was a tense pause before Ba’ul finally let out a low warble. His method of communicating was more conceptual than linguistic, but Judith could tell his comment was something along the lines of “ _ please don't lie to this poor man. _ ”

Judith stifled a laugh and played it off as an expression of delight. “He said yes, you have his blessing.”

The nervousness in Raven’s face melted away, replaced with pure joy. “Y-ya really mean it, Ba’ul? Hot damn, you won't be sorry! I'll treat her right, I promise! I mean-! Uh…” He quelled his excitement enough to take on a professional air. “...you have my word that I'll treat her with the utmost respect and dignity.”

Ba’ul’s response was a short, deep tone, a barely audible “ _ be nicer to him, Judith. _ ”

* * *

Dinner was an unassuming premise for a date. Raven chose the time, Judith chose the restaurant. It was an upscale place, not too fancy, but not the kind of place one would wear everyday clothes to either. Once he got past his initial nervousness, Raven spent the walk there complimenting Judith on everything. Her choice of dress, her hairstyle, her jewelry- he was laying it on thick, but he genuinely seemed to appreciate every aspect of her appearance. His gaze didn't even settle long enough for her to pull the ‘ _ my eyes are up here _ ’ line, and she wasn't sure whether to be impressed or disappointed.

The restaurant’s menu was limited to a few daily specials, but it had enough variety that anyone could find something they liked. Raven’s eyes sparkled as he looked it over, his attention moving right to the section labeled ‘catch-of-the-day.’

“Oh man, this special sounds amazing… tuna with a miso glaze… I’m in heaven just thinkin’ about it. Ya see anything that strikes your fancy, Judith darlin’?”

“Hm.” Judith smiled at him from behind her menu. “There are a few things, but I’m not really feeling like a heavy dinner. I may just order straight from the dessert menu.”

Raven’s expression was so soft and affectionate, it was almost endearing. “You order whatever you want. I’ll buy ya the whole dessert menu if ya like.”

“That's sweet, but even I could never eat that much.” She glanced over the menu again and smiled as she noticed the item at the bottom. “Oh, but they do have a sampler platter. Creme brûlée, limoncello cake, and tiramisu- a variety of unique tastes.”

“If that's what'cha fancy, darlin’, then have at it! This is a special occasion, after all.”

Raven was just as talkative as they waited for their food to arrive, but he always stopped himself before he got too far into a story, reminding Judith to interrupt whenever she felt like it. The truth was, she was genuinely surprised by how fun it was to listen to him. He was considerate, yet charming and captivating when he went into storytelling mode. It almost made her feel bad about what she was planning. 

Almost.

Before long, the waiter returned with their dishes, pausing in front of Judith first. “A dessert sampler for the lady-” he began, but Judith held up a hand.

“Actually, we’re switching orders. I'm having the fish.”

“Wha-?” Raven began, but the waiter had already nodded and moved to put the desserts in front of him instead. Judith grinned at him as the waiter presented her with the tuna and left them to their meal.

“Didn’t you know? It’s Krityan tradition to switch meals on the first date. They say you can learn a lot about someone by their food preferences, so we use it as a way to get to know each other. You eat my order and see what it can tell you about me, and I’ll do the same for yours.”

Raven was silent for a moment, his gaze darting back and forth between Judith and the sweets in front of him. “B-but I  _ already  _ know you!” he stammered. “We’ve been friends fer a long time. Don’t that count fer anything?”

Judith put on her best ‘disappointed’ face.

“So… you don’t  _ want _ to learn about me?”

She could see him tense up as he considered what to do, and turned up the pressure by cutting into the tuna with her fork and staring down at it longingly.

“Because… I want to learn all I can about you…”

“No, no, I wasn’t sayin’ that! Of course I wanna learn more about ya! And there’s no way I’d diss yer traditions or anything!” He picked up his own fork and she had to resist the urge to grin again. Got him. “Here… goes… nothin’...”

He braved the tiramisu and the cake fairly well, all things considered, taking one bite at a time and moving slowly but surely. He was doing well not to let the disgust show on his face, and Judith mentally applauded him for that. She, herself, was greatly enjoying his choice of dinner and had finished her own entree by the time he moved onto the creme brûlée. He took his spoon and cracked through the crust of caramelized sugar, pulling up a daub of the thick, yellow custard. He wavered briefly before putting it in his mouth, however, and Judith chimed in.

“Your taste in seafood is impeccable. The dish itself doesn’t look very fancy on the outside, but once I took a bite, I could tell it was made with high-quality ingredients, and the intricate blend of flavors works perfectly. I suppose that’s like you, isn't it? Unassuming on the outside, but with a surprisingly endearing blend of traits once one pushes past the surface?”

He welcomed the distraction from the custard, looking back at her with a forced smile.

“That’s a real sweet thing ta say, Judith darlin’.”

“It’s what this date is all about. Try a bite of that creme brûlée and tell me what it says about me.”

Unable to avoid it anymore, Raven resigned himself to the spoonful he’d taken, his expression scrunching inward in unmaskable disgust as he did so. “It shows… that you...” he spoke, but stopped and shoved a napkin over his mouth. “...have a stronger stomach than I do.”

And with that, he excused himself from the table.

* * *

Rita and Patty had a good laugh over the story, though Karol wasn’t nearly as amused as before. 

“It seems kinda mean,” he commented, “to lie about Krityan traditions like that. Doesn’t it feel like an insult to your people?”

“Nah.” Judith shrugged, shaking her head. “Kritya have always been fond of a good game. That’s a true Krityan fact.”

“Besides,” Rita pointed out, “ _ he’s  _ the one who insisted on a date. It serves the old man right for always creeping on Judith. I think he got what he deserved.”

Oddly enough, Rita’s supportive statement bothered Judith. Sure, Raven had been an annoyance, but his genuine behavior on the date had been far from what she’d call  _ creepy _ .

“I don’t know, I don’t think he’s been a creep. It’s just that, I fear he doesn’t know what he’s getting into. If he really wants to be with me, he needs to know exactly what kind of ordeal he’s in for.”

Patty gave her a good-natured nudge. “Why Judith, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’d fallen for the guy!”

“Oh, I don’t think there’s any danger of that.” Judith nudged back. “After what happened, I’ll be surprised if he ever asks me out on another date.”

And, surprised she was.

It took about a week, but Raven eventually approached again, casually asking “so, what’s the Krityan tradition for the second date?” as if the first date hadn’t left him feeling ill for hours. Judith didn’t let her surprise show, answering quickly and easily.

“It’s a nature walk, to appreciate the natural beauty that surrounds us. You can handle that, right?”

She could see a well-hidden hint of suspicion cross his features. He was learning. 

“That sounds lovely! You just tell me the where and when, and I’ll be there!”

The  _ where  _ was, in fact, the base of a mountain near Dahngrest, and the  _ when  _ was in the early morning hours, shrouded in darkness with only the moon above them for light. Judith handed him a pack matching her own, fifteen kilograms of weight to prove his endurance, and started up the mountain at a slow but steady pace. She expected complaints from him at the very least, and genuinely figured she’d lose him somewhere along the way. But he kept up the whole time, and the picnic they shared while watching the sunrise from the top of the mountain was a greater joy than she’d anticipated.

She’d have to make up some more “Krityan traditions” to see just how far he’d go.

Whether it was out of respect, curiosity, or even fear, Raven continued to follow all of Judith’s imaginary traditions to the letter. Deep-sea fishing that turned into a monster hunt, a pleasure cruise with Ba’ul that turned into a skydiving lesson, and even a lesson on cooking Krityan “delicacies”- that would probably send real Kritya running in disgust- Raven handled all of them with a smile that he kept as he’d ask “so what are we doin’ next week?” afterward. It was inspiring and, quite honestly, endearing. What had started as a way of putting him off had turned into a genuine game, and Judith was loving every minute of it. Part of her knew it wouldn’t last, but she was going to make the most of it until the very last moment.

That moment eventually came when visiting one of the Imperial gardens in Zaphias, an important test of Raven’s botanical knowledge, Judith claimed. She took him off the main path and led him through a maze of cultivated hedges and trees, quizzing him the entire way. Unfortunately, she was too focused on her questions, on looking ahead to the next plant, that she didn’t notice the briars on the bush beside her until she felt the sharp pain of her antenna catching on one. 

“Ah-! Damn!” She cursed under her breath as she turned and attempted to tug herself free. Normally she paid much more attention to her surroundings, but Raven had been telling her all about the local blackberries that they’d seen just a few minutes earlier, and she was paying so little attention to anything else, it was embarrassing. Her pulls only worsened the situation, as the thorns dug themselves deeper into the thick fibers. She had to stop, and when she did so, Raven took the opportunity to break in.

“I gotcha. Hold on a sec.”

Judith wasn’t going to refuse his help, but she braced herself for it. Even Kritya didn’t touch or groom their own antennae bare-handed, and the idea of someone else touching it was far more uncomfortable. However, as she waited, she realized that he wasn’t touching the antenna at all. He was, instead, carefully pulling the thorns themselves away.

“Don’cha worry, I’ve-  _ ow-  _ I’ve almost-  _ ow-  _ almost got it-  _ ow _ !”

Eventually, Judith was able to pull herself free, and she stepped away to see Raven nursing a bloody hand. She was quick to approach, grabbing his arm so that she could get a better look.

“Here, I have some disinfectant. Let’s go back to that bench from earlier so I can work on it.”

Raven kept a smile on his face, but he nodded mutely, unable to give any other form of confirmation. He stayed silent as she worked, gritting his teeth against the pain of the alcohol, but relaxed as she began to wrap his hand in a bandage. 

“You know, you could’ve just pulled my antenna free,” she spoke, and he shook his head in reply.

“But wouldn’t that’ve been a problem? I read that the oils on yer skin can coat the sensitive vi… uh… vibrissae… whatever they’re called, it’s uncomfortable, right? I didn’t wanna do that to ya.”

Judith wanted to point out that this was a far more uncomfortable experience for Raven than it would have been for her, but she was so surprised he even  _ knew _ that fact.

“Where did you learn that?”

“Oh, uh-” Raven pulled his hand away once the bandage was secure. “-I checked out some Krityan books from the library after our first date. I just wanted ta know what I was in for, y’know? But I ended up learnin’ a lotta neat things.”

“You…” Judith stared at him, unable to hide her surprise. “...you did  _ research _ ? So this whole time, you knew…?”

“Knew what? That you were bullshittin’ me?” Saying it out loud made Raven laugh. “A’course! I’ve known since after that first dinner.”

“And you just let me keep  _ lying _ to you?  _ Why _ ?”

Raven blushed, averting his gaze. “Well, ‘cause it meant I got ta spend time with you. You were havin’ fun, and seein’ you happy made me happy. ‘Specially when I actually managed to succeed and you praised me. Felt nice.”

Judith’s expression softened, and she reached for his cheek to turn his face back toward her. 

“Did you think, if I knew you were in on the joke, I wouldn’t want to keep dating you?”

“Eh, maybe a little. But it was more like I just didn’t mind. I figured, as long as we’re both havin’ a good time, it shouldn’t matter. But I s’pose you won’t wanna keep goin’ after this-”

“Now, why would you think that?” Judith interrupted. “The fun wasn’t in lying to you or making you unhappy, the fun was in seeing you do whatever I asked. If you’re still willing to do that, why stop?” She paused to laugh. “It just means I don’t have to justify it with silly faux-Krityan traditions.”

“Ya mean it?” A spark of joy appeared in Raven’s eyes. “We can keep goin’ on dates like this?”

“As long as you’re having fun too. In fact, I’ll try to learn about human traditions, so I can involve those in our little challenges.”

“Human traditions?” Raven repeated. “Like what?”

Judith considered the question for a moment.

“Like this, for example.”

It wasn’t an exclusively human tradition. After all, Kritya kissed one another too. But all things considered, it felt a very human thing to do. And Raven seemed to appreciate it.

* * *

The blossom-viewing festival in Halure was a popular event for couples, so Judith sitting alone on her picnic blanket stood out amongst the crowd. She was admiring the view, so she was surprised to hear a voice address her from behind.

“Hey, Judy- you finally drive the old man away with your challenges?”

Judith perked up, looking back at the familiar pair as Flynn smacked Yuri on the shoulder. “ _ Yuri! _ ” he hissed, but Judith laughed and shook her head.

“No, no, he’s over there in that patch of clovers.” She pointed down the hill a short distance to where Raven was on his knees, shuffling through the clovers intently. Judith called for him, and he looked up and waved a clover at her.

“ _ Heeeey, Judith darlin’, I found one! A genuine four-leafer! _ ”

“Wonderful!” Judith called back. “Only nine more to go, and you’ll have good luck for the whole year!”

Raven cheered and went back to his search, while Yuri and Flynn looked back to Judith with a critical glare.

“Judith… I really think you should stop lying to him,” Flynn began. “It’s disrespectful, both to him and your own people, whose actual traditions you’re trivializing through this deception-”

“Oh, no, no.” Judith cut him off, waving a hand dismissively. “I’m not doing the Krityan tradition thing anymore. He knew the whole time that I was messing with him, he just appreciates a good challenge.”

“Wait, he…?” Yuri stammered, and looked back at Raven as he celebrated another four-leaf clover find. Judith waved back and blew him a kiss, and Yuri shook his head. “I don’t believe it. You’ve actually fallen in love with him.”

“Is that so bad?” Judith asked, and Yuri shook his head.

“Nah, just surprising.”

“I don’t think it’s so surprising,” Flynn offered. “When you consider it, they’re well-suited to one another.”

Judith smiled at him.

“Thanks, Flynn. I think so too.”


End file.
